News Details

Port Sets Record for October Cargo

Long Beach on pace for highest-ever volumes in 2017

November 9, 2017

A year of records continues at the Port of Long Beach, where this October was the busiest in history, as container volumes surged 15 percent compared to the same month a year ago.

Trade has been growing so rapidly in 2017 that the record-setting October — at 669,218 twenty-foot-equivalent units (TEUs), one of the Port’s strongest all-time results — was only the fourth-busiest month of the year behind July, September and August.

“October used to be the industry’s busiest month of the year, with retailers preparing for Christmas,” said Port of Long Beach Executive Director Mario Cordero. “Now, with other popular shopping seasons like back-to-school, Halloween and Black Friday, ocean carriers are spreading shipments across more months to maximize the services we have developed to serve them.”

“By taking a long view of our finances and embarking on a $4 billion modernization — the largest of any U.S. seaport — we’ve positioned the Port of Long Beach to be one of today’s most attractive, dependable gateways,” said Harbor Commission President Lou Anne Bynum. “With two months left in 2017, we’re on track to have our best year ever.”

Through the first 10 months of the year, 6,234,930 TEUs have been moved through the Port, a 9.5 percent increase over the same period in 2016.